(Clearwisdom.net) I have been detained many years during the persecution. I often wondered why I was always persecuted. I have finally found the answer within the Fa and come to understand that, whoever my thoughts were aligned with, that is whom would come to take care of me. Looking back, I had a lot of human thoughts, which belonged to the old cosmos. For instance, when I was amidst persecution or difficulties, instinctually I would think about how to face it, deal with it and take my stand. Now that I have realized this, when similar things arise, I am able to think that Master and the Fa is with me and that I will only accept Master's arrangements. Thus, things always end up properly resolved. Through deeper Fa study and looking within, I have come to understand that human thoughts have deep roots, and that if we do not have a calm mind, our first thought will always be human. Now I'd like to share my understandings of the two kinds of thoughts.
Master has taught us that beings in the past didn't know about the Fa of the cosmos. In my humble understanding, during the process of formation, stasis, degeneration, and destruction of the old cosmos, especially being aware of the imminent danger of the disintegration of the old cosmos, beings will try to save themselves out of natural instinct, and the effort to do so is exactly the typical manifestation of selfishness of beings of the old cosmos. The layers and layers of arrangements created by the old forces have formed the biggest obstacles for Fa-rectification, and have resulted in the old forces' self-destruction. If all the beings knew about the existence of the Fa of the cosmos and believed that they would be saved by the great Fa, and did not act against the Fa-rectification, then all the beings would have been saved. Therefore, with further understanding, when tribulations, difficulties and interference arise during the persecution, all our thoughts about self-protection are rooted in the old forces' thoughts of trying to save themselves out of natural instinct, which is a form of selfishness and imperfect with omissions. This type of mentality has suited the old forces' way of thinking, therefore, their existence has been consistently lingering.
The new will not come unless the old is eliminated. From my understanding, the process of getting rid of our old mentality is to develop new perspectives based on the new cosmos. The entire old cosmos is based upon selfishness that no one can escape, including Dafa disciples, but Master has ways. Master told us to validate the Fa. My personal understanding is, the thinking of "validating the Fa" must pervade every thought of Dafa disciples and only by doing this, can the deep-rooted selfishness be completely replaced.
From Master's Fa taught in "Walk Straight Your Path", I have come to understand that, no beings, no Fa and no thoughts in the past can enter the new cosmos and become part of it if does not completely conform to the great Fa, Truth-Compassion-Forbearance, of the new cosmos. Therefore, when tribulations, difficulties and conflicts are present, we must examine ourselves because it is certain that those are incurred by our own attachments. For instance, when I was imprisoned, I was persecuted very severely - I was often beaten and kicked, hit by sticks and deprived of sleep for consecutive days and nights. I took my stand and never compromised with the evil; in addition, I often recited the Fa and sent forth righteous thoughts. I knew I had fear and did not know what the evil would do next to persecute me. I didn't know how to rectify myself amidst such tribulations, but I knew that I would never give up Dafa. I made it through under Master's protection. Not until I looked back afterwards did I completely understand it. The problem was that I did not understand the true meaning of validating Dafa; therefore, I was not able let go of self.
Master does not acknowledge the persecution. If a Dafa disciple does not give priority to escaping tribulations, but instead puts the Fa first in his actions and every thought: "I do not acknowledge anything that Master does not acknowledge," if one can firm up with this thought without wavering, then can the evil persecution still hold? It will disintegrate immediately. Only if one can calmly break one's mind away from the state of being persecuted can one develop powerful and steadfast faith in Master's Fa, see the evil as something minute and have no fear.
Our thinking from the past tends to solve an issue after acknowledging the problem using methods based on previous experiences and wisdom. At best, this is the wisdom of the old cosmos. The thinking of validating the Fa, however, does not base itself on resolving the problem, but instead on the following: having righteous thoughts from the Fa and letting go of oneself. With full trust in Master and the Fa, one validates Dafa's boundless wisdom by letting go of all fear, anxiety and worries, confidently validating the omnipresent and all-powerful Dafa. If one is in the middle of tribulations, under great pressure and encircled by evil elements, all of one's thoughts developed under such circumstances will be magnified by the evil. It's very difficult to develop thoughts of pure compassion amidst great pain, but if one can see the evil as small and completely let go of any psychological burdens, then the evil will of itself no longer exist.
This is my first submission and my format might be improper. This contains my limited understanding. Please kindly point out anything improper.